News on internet dating

Born in Karachi, Pakistan, she now calls Toronto home and writes about everything from transit and city hall to baby animal births at the zoo Navigating the online dating world is no easy task.

After weeks of swiping and chatting with unknown men, Katerina Lyadova, 30, realized she was wasting a lot of time and getting no results.

On Valentine's Day, some singles may be inspired to step up their dating game. Amy Giberson, now 34, was reluctant to try internetdating again but she decided to give it one more shot in 2014. There are a slew of sites and apps to help singles find love and, for the most part, they work, according to Consumer Reports.

She downloaded the Match app and connected with Justin Pounders, also 34, almost immediately. Nearly half, or 44 percent, of those who tried online dating said it led to a serious long-term relationship or marriage, the magazine found.

The two decided to meet "IRL" (in real life) days later. Traditionally known for reviewing products like household cleaners and washers and dryers, Consumer Reports surveyed nearly 10,000 subscribers in the fall of 2016 about online dating and then rated matchmaking sites based on their overall satisfaction.

Months after their first date, the couple discovered they had been classmates in preschool, and one year into their relationship Justin arranged to have the young students from their former school hold up signs that asked, "Will you marry me? How to boost the odds with a better profile: Use recent pictures (taken within the past year) and at least one good close-up headshot.